Person    | Male  Born 4/6/1738  Died 29/1/1820

King George III

Born in St James's Square (not the public garden, one of the houses, obviously). Crowned in 1760, the first monarch since Queen Anne to be truly British. It was during his rule that many of the American colonies were lost in the American Revolutionary War. Later in life suffered from an intermittent mental illness which made him eventually too mad to rule and his eldest son ruled as Prince Regent, becoming George IV on his father's death, at Windsor. His consort was Queen Charlotte. In recent years the accepted diagnosis has been manic depression.

George III was a strong supporter of Eton College (his local school) and, in return, the school made the King's birthday a holiday and the 'Fourth of June' became a traditional day of festivities even though it is seldom celebrated on June 4.

Journal of the American Revolution describes the toppling of a Manhattan statue of George III in 1776. This had been erected only about 10 years previously but when the States declared their independence a group of New Yorkers celebrated by pulling it down.  A 2021 meme: "After hearing a reading of the newly adopted Declaration of Independence, New Yorkers "Destroy History" by toppling a statue of King George III. And that's why no one knows who won the American Revolution.”

Invested in and was governor of the South Sea company whose trade was slavery. During the campaign to end the slave trade George supported neither side, which, given his position, was helpful to those in favour of retention.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
King George III

Commemorated ati

Duke of York's column

Bronze statue by Westmacott of "The Grand Old Duke of York" of nursery rhyme ...

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General Roy's cannon - south

The cannon was installed in 1791 by Mudge. The plaque came later in 1926. Fr...

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George III at Trinity House

This building was erected during his reign.

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George III in Cockspur Street

Considered to be Wyatt's best work.

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George III with the River god

Bronze statue erected in 1789 showing the king who had commissioned the rebui...

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Show all 16

Other Subjects

Battersea Rise House

Battersea Rise House

Built circa 1770. The house and the estate were bought by Henry Thornton in 1792. William Wilberforce, his good friend, lived here until Thornton's marriage. Both men were MPs and important members...

Building, Property, Race Issues

1 memorial
Granville Sharp

Granville Sharp

Anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Durham.  1757 became Clerk in the Ordnance Office.  Became involved with the anti-slavery campaign by a personal involvement with an injured slave, Jonathan Strong, a...

Person, Law, Race Issues

1 memorial
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford

Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford

Statesman. Harley Street was named after him. Responsible for the creation of the South Sea company and was the first governor. This company later became a major player in the Atlantic slave trade.

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial
Voltaire

Voltaire

Born in Paris as Francois Marie Arouet. Adopted the name Voltaire aged 24. The traditional story is that the intolerance of Catholic France forced this free-thinker to escape to the land of liberty...

Person, Literature, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, France

1 memorial
King George IV

King George IV

Regent: 1811 - 1820. Reigned: 1820 - 1830. After secretly marrying Mrs Fitzherbert, he then officially married Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Built the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. A statue of him ...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty, Seriously Famous

17 memorials

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Great Fire of London

Started on a Sunday morning. After 4 days the destruction included: - an area of one and a half miles by a half mile - 87 churches - 13,200 houses - only 6 people are recorded as having died (but ...

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Thomas Faryner and his shop

Born 1615-6, Thomas Faryner (or Farriner) joined the Baker's Company in 1637, and by 1649 had his own bakery/shop/home on Pudding Lane. It seems that someone failed properly to extinguish a fire in...

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Roger Daltrey

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Sir Edwin Lutyens

Sir Edwin Lutyens

Architect. Born at 16 Onslow Square. Specialised in English country houses. Chosen as the consulting architect for Hampstead Garden Suburb and designed two churches there. One of the four principal...

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15 memorials